Fluid-pressure regulator.



No-l '788,352, PATENTED APR. 25, 1905.

E. W. CRAWFORD.

FLUID PRESSUREVRBGULA-TOR.

APILIGATIQN FILED Anc.. 26, 1904.

No. 788,852. Patented April 25, 1905.

NITED STATES PATENTi OFFICE.

ERNEST W. CRAIVFORD, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE CHAPLIN-FULTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. i

FLUID-PRESSURE REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,352, dated April 25, 1905.

Application ned August 26,1904, sei-a1 No. 222,297.

T (L7/Z 1077/0710/ 7115 71ml/ @IMCP/7%: mately cone shape, said valve being mounted Beit known that I, ERNEST W. CRAWFORD, on the lower end of a stem 12, guided at its o of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and upper end by a cap 13, screwed into the top State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain of the casing. This valve in its movements 5 new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Presis guided by wings 14, depending from valve sure Regulators; and I do hereby declare the 6, and its stem carries a cross pin or lug 15, Jfollowing to be a full, clear, and exact dewhich upon contacting with valve Glimits the 55 scription of the invention, such as will enable independent movement of valve 1() and forces others skilled in the art to which it appertains valve 6 from its seat.

IO to make and use the same. 16 is a diaphragm within the outlet-cham- The object of this invention is to provide ber rigidly secured at its center to the valveimproved means for automatically regulating stem 12. Upon this diaphragm rests a weight 6o fluid-pressure, such as gas, in such way that 17, which is held by a nut 18 on a collar 19, the service-supply may be maintained at a mounted on thel valve-stem. This weight is I5 constant iiXed pressure under all conditions shown in the form of a plate or disk, so that of ilow and irrespective of the overpressure while being well distributed over the diafrom the main. phragm is yet applied directly to the valve- 65 The invention will be hereinafter fully set stem, so as to center the downward pressure forth, and particularly pointed out in the thereon. 2C claims. In the top of the casing is an opening 20 to In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is the atmosphere, and 21 is a bale-plate to preaverticallongitudinal sectional view of a reguvent the low of gas through the valve from 70 lator constructed in accordance with my inimpinging against the diaphragm and disturbvention, the casing being of the vertical type. ing the balance thereof, such baille being 2 5 Fig. 2 is a similar View withahorizontal type formed with a central opening to accommo- Y of casing. date stem 12.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a As a general rule the pressure in the mains 75 casing divided by a wall 2 into inlet and outis considerably in excess of that required in let chambers 3 and 4, the former having a reservice-lines for illuminating purposes. By

ceiving-opening and the latter a deliverymy regulator under ordinary service condiopening, such openings being shown in Fig. tions the smallervalve has suiiicientarea when 1 as in the same vertical plane, while in Fig. open to provide the proper service-pressure 8o 2 they are represented as being horizontally up to the full capacity of the service-pipe. disposed. In wall 2 is an opening wherein is Hence this valve may be much smaller than 3 5 iitted a bushing forming a seat 5 for a valve the diameter of the pipes, since under the rela- 6, carrying in its upper face packing 7 for tive conditions stated the inlet-pressure is contacting with the reduced edge of the valvemany times greater than the outlet-pressure; 8 5 seat, said face also having guide-wings 8. A but since in` practice the inlet-pressure may spring 9 tends to hold this valve toits seat, fall to a point where the Jfull opening of the being secured to the under side thereof at one smaller valve is not suilcient to maintain the end and resting at its other end on the bottom outlet-pressure atthe desired point I have proof the casing. The area of the passage-way vided for increasing the area of the passage- 9o between the two chambersethat is to say, the way between the two chambers. |This is et'- bore of the bushing fitted in wall 2-.is equal fected by automatically unseating the valve to the area of each of the openings for the 6, whereupon the opening between the two inlet and outlet. chambers equals the area of the inlet-opening.

In the center of valve 6 is an opening where- In this way I am enabled to maintain or con- 95 in works asecond smaller valve 10 of approxitrol the pressure unless and until that at the outer face of the valve.

inlet falls to that required at the outlet. Itis necessary to have the smaller valve control the high inlet-pressure and the small volumes accurately, and it is also necessary to have the larger valve equal in area to the pipe connections, so as to make the device a true regulator and-not merely a reducing-valve.

In practice the tension of spring' 9 is equal to the weight 'of valve 6, and its tendency is to hold the valve to its seat, as is also that of the pressure which initially contacts with the Vith the pressure required at the outlet ascertained the diaphragm is weighted to coincide. Connections are then made on the inlet side with the pressure-main and on the outlet side to the service-line. At this time both valves 6 and4 l() are unseated under the weight on the stem of valve l0, the pin of the latter engaging valve 6 and forcing it downwardly to the bottom of the casing as against the tension of the spring. Now when gas is admitted to the inlet it will flow through both valves from one chamber to the other until the pressure builds up in the outletchamber. rlhis pressure acting on the under side of the diaphragm tends to lift or oat it, the upper side of the diaphragm being open to the atmosphere. Assuming that the inletpressure exceeds that for which the device is weighted, the pressure building up beneath the diaphragm will raise the latter and elevate valve l0. Thus all weight is removed from valve 6. The spring will then force this valve up, and it will follow the pin l5 until seated. As the outlet-pressure builds up by the How through the small valve the latter moves upwardly until the outlet-pressure reaches the predetermined pressure, and the small valve is thereupon closed. As there is now no open passage-way from the inlet to the outlet, the pressure thus acquired will be maintained until relieved, whereupon the diaphragm being deprived of the lifting action of the gas will lower and unseat one or both valves to the extent necessary to restore the proper pressure at the outlet. The unseating of valve 6 is not eifected, however, until the smaller valve 10 has reached its maximum opening movement. If the pressure is restored upon the opening otl the small valve, the unseating of the larger valve will not occur, and the seating of the small valve happens only when the pressure within the outlet-chamber reaches the predetermined point, such valve automatically opening up once such pressure ceases to be maintained.

From what has been said the advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be noted that under ordinary conditions the area of the opening controlled by the smaller valve is suficient to maintain the necessary pressure .within the 'outlet-chamber notwithstanding the fact that such area is considerably less than that ot' the outlet-opening; but once the pressure passing through this reduced opening is insuiiicient to maintain the proper pressure within the outlet-chamber the area of the passage-way between the two chambers is made to equal the area of the inlet and outlet openings by the automatic unseating of the second larger valve.

I claim as my invention-- l. A pressure-regulator comprising a casing having inlet and outlet chambers with a communicating passage-way ot` area corresponding lto the respective inlet and outlet openings of said chambers, a valve normally closing said passage-way, a second valve controlling an opening between said chambers of considerably less area than that of said passage-way, means for unseating said second valve, such unseating movement within the full limit thereof admitting high inlet-pressure while said former valve is closed, the opening of said former valve occurring during the further movement of said second valve when the outlet-pressure is below a predetermined point.

2. A pressure-regulator comprising a casing having inlet and outlet chambers with a communicating passage-way of area corresponding to the respective inlet and outlet openings ot' said chambers, a valve for said passage-way, means for normally holding said valve seated, a second valve controlling an opening' between said chambers of considerably less area than that of said passage-way, means for unseating said second valve to admit high inlet-pressure whilesaid former valve is closed, such means being independent of that by which said former valve is held seated, and means carried by said second valve for engaging and unseating said former valve when the pressure at the outlet falls below a predetermined point.

3. A pressure-regulator comprising a casing having inlet and outlet chambers with a communicating passage-way of area corresponding to the respective inlet and outlet openings of said chambers, a valve fitted in said opening and normally held to its seat by the pressure in the inlet-chamber acting initially against its outer face, said valve having an opening forminga passage-way of reduced area between the two chambers, asecond valve for closing said opening, means for unseating said second valve when the pressure in the outlet-chamber falls below a predetermined point, the first-mentioned valve remaining seated, and means for unseating said firstmentioned valve when it is necessary to maintain equal pressures in both chambers.

4. A pressure-regulator comprising a casing having inlet and outlet chambers with a communicating passage-way of area corresponding to the respective inlet and outlet openings ot' said chambers, a valve fitted in said opening and normally held to its seat by the pressure in the inlet-chamber acting initially against its outer face, said valve having IOO an opening forming a passage-Way of reduced area between the two chambers, a second Valve for closing said opening, means for unseating Said second valve When the pressure in the outlet-chamber falls below a predetermined point, the lirst -mentioned Valve remaining seated, and means for also unseating said firstmentioned valve when the Second valve is fully unseated.

5. The combination with the easing having inlet and outlet chambers, a Communicating passage-way, and a diaphragm, of a valve for Closing said passage-Way having an opening forming a second passage-Way between the two chambers, a high-pressure valve closing` said opening, and having its stem connected to said diaphragm, means for Weighting such stem, independent means for normally holding said first-mentioned valve seated, and means earried bythe high-pressure Valve for unseating the first-mentioned valve When the high-pressure valve is fully unseated.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence ot' two subscribing Witnesses. i

ERNEST W. CRAWFORD.

Witnesses:

C. E. MCCARGO, C. W. ToWNsEND. 

